The Sweet Smell of Coffee Beans
by LOCKandK3Y
Summary: A Soulmate AU for Tetsukami Week 2018. Love is not blind and love isn't only for the hopeless. Each human being is destined for another, like a red string of fate that connects them, and yet love is still a surprise. Follow Kaminari as he experiences true love for the first time, as facades fall apart and fate repairs broken scars.


**Tetsukami Week - Day One:** Fantasy AU / Coffee Shop AU / Soulmate AU **AN:** I'm coming in late for Day One of Tetsukami Week and the start of a new multichaptered fic! A little bit of information for this story before we begin, don't be alarmed at the Bakugou and Kaminari interaction at the beginning of this chapter. The two are purely roommates and will not, nor have ever had a more than platonic relationship. The more important fact though is that this IS a soulmate AU! This AU follows the trope in which whatever your soulmate draws/writes on their skin, it will appear on yours and this idea will be present all through out the next seven chapters or so. Please enjoy and comment if you like this story!

"Bakugou! Have you seen my car keys!?"

Kaminari rummaged through the drawers of their high-end table, situated in the main hallway near the entrance door. He shared a homey sized apartment with his old friend, Bakugou, the walls plastered with out of date wallpaper, a small bathroom between two bedrooms. Their living room was an open space, a front view window shedding light into the room, illuminating the dust collected from not being properly cleaned in a week. The kitchen was on the other side of the wall that Kaminari stood before, the fridge emanating a low rumble, tile smudged with brownie mix from the night before, a small pile of dishes sitting in the sink.

The echo of splattering water halted, steam peeking out from under an oak wood door that stood alone at the end of the hall. Some stumbling was made, the familiar creak of cracked flooring, a thud of toes smacking against who knows what, curses rough and irritable seeping through than walls. Kaminari whistled, his lips pursed out as he continued to search for his keys, not minding Bakugou's normal routine. His fingers were pricked by loose needles, knuckles bumping against the walls of the drawer, broken key chains clinking as metal hit metal, though there still was no sight of his keys.

"Bakugouuuuuu!?"

Kaminari sung the name, worry rising with each passing second of neither his roommates answer nor found car keys. The clicking of a lock didn't go unheard by Kaminari, his pout disappearing with the flood of white smoke leaving their poorly ventilated bathroom. Kaminari slammed the drawer closed, bounced on his toes and the ball of his feet as he leaned on the high-end table and turned to smile sweetly at his roommate with innocence. Of course, he didn't expect the smile to be returned, not with Bakugou's teeth already gritted in a snarl, sweats hanging low on his hips, showing off the tops of his boxers. Kaminari held back a round of chuckles, tight lipped as he stared eye to eye with Bakugou.

"Have you seen my k-?"

"Why the hell would I know where you're car keys are?!"

Kaminari squeaked, his back stiffening, shoulders jumping, hands raising to cover his ears. Kaminari whined, a ringing beginning to resound in the drum of his ear, his eyelids shutting momentarily in attempt to calm the discomfort Bakugou's yelling caused. It wasn't as if Bakugou wasn't easily angered or loud in general but at times, his moods were too quick and unexpected for Kaminari to prepare. Bakugou huffed, his chest moving with the breath, arms swinging side by side on broad shoulders while he strode his way toward the kitchen. He bumped paths with Kaminari, gold eyes flickering open, mouth falling agape in disbelief.

"Give me your keys than!"

Kaminari rushed in after Bakugou, followed to find Bakugou glaring down at an empty box of brownie mix that had laid on the counter not too long ago. Ruby eyes glanced down at filled sink, ceramic bowls and glass cups half full with milk and juice, traces of chewed food grimed onto the steal container. His bare foot stood upon the brown powder Kaminari had spilled hours upon hours ago, toes coated in the substance like dirt mixing with rain to form mud. The silence that resonated in the room was eerie, unsettling and obnoxiously loud for there being no words. Kaminari could almost see the veins in Bakugou's skin pulse, hear the crack of his jaw and see the quivering of his hands.

"You were told to clean up after yourself a hundred times this week, Pikachu!" Bakugou waved the empty box in his hand, smacked Kaminari atop the head with it and shook it exaggeratedly without a tell-tale of when he would stop. "Ha!? Why should I let you drive my car if you can't even wash a dish!? Has this crap been on the floor since last night?! Don't you dare lie to me! I don't pay the rent here just for roaches to come move in!"

"Ack!" Kaminari shielded his face, arms crossing midair as he let out an undignified squeal.

"Jeez, Bakugou! What did you do? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Kaminari earned another rough smack to his rib cage, the cardboard swooshing over his shirt in one fluid movement. No matter where Kaminari blocked his blows, Bakugou would find another place and way to hit him in some way. It was his way of disciplining, a pat on the back wouldn't do anything to teach a lesson and so Bakugou was hardly ever gentle. So when he finds a grown man standing before him, acting like a child, he had no other way to go about it than a battle of arms.

"Did a gnome steal your keys?!" Bakugou yelled, throwing back a mocking comment for Kaminari's own. "I told you that if you're gonna make food you better clean the hell up! Fucking clean up after yourself! Make the counter shine for once!"

"Come on, Bakugou! That's not fair! I just want to go buy coffee, you're making a big deal out of nothing. Besides you clean so well, Kacchan. What does it hurt for you to grab a broom?"

"You mother fucker…" Bakugou seethes through his nose, lunges out for Kaminari and grabs him by the collar of his shirt. The blonde gets rattled around a bit, shook back and forth before Bakugou shoves the box down Kaminari's shirt, who cries out at the action and tries to push away. "I clean the kitchen all the damn time! Who the fuck are you telling to go grab a broom?! Why don't you just fucking take a walk, calm your shit and go to the coffee shop down the street, you ass! Clean it your damn self when you get back!"

Bakugou pushed Kaminari away, the latter stumbling over his shoe ties, back bumping against the counter, palm landing in something sticky. "Ew… Bakugou, come on! It was a joke!"

Bakugou was already on his way out of the kitchen though, his hair ruffled, muscles on his back tensed. He stood tall like always, a force to be reckoned with, someone who could walk into a room and leave everyone looking away. Kaminari knew he shouldn't be pulling on the tail of a lion, there was just so much joy in it though. A rush of energy flowed through his veins after every petty fight, had Kaminari itching to do all he wanted with a leap of fate.

"And while you're at the coffee shop, why don't you pick up a fucking application and buy me a double shot espresso! The tallest cup they have!"

Kaminari smirked, his teeth poking out from between his lips, lopsided with the dopey look he wore so well. Forgetting that his keys ever existed, Kaminari kicked closed their apartment door, bounded down the stairs with knees hiked high. He knew what coffee shop Bakugou meant, it was the new one built just a block away, past the residential homes and on the edge of a freeway. If Kaminari remembered right, it was called Fatgum's Coffee and Sweets, a puffy little man dressed in orange and wearing a mask happily chewing a donut on their billboard.

Horns and honks erupted on the open street, stop lights changing color under the glare of the sun, a humid breeze brushing past Kaminari's cheek. The stench of leaking oil bombarded Kaminari's nostrils the nearer he came to the freeway that separated himself from home and whipped creamed drinks. The two roommates couldn't afford to live any nicer an area, Bakugou's job working odd hours and himself laid off of employment only weeks ago. It wasn't as if the grass they walked on wasn't greener than others, nor did Kaminari feel a reason to be discouraged by it.

If only he knew what kind of beauty awaited him on the other side of the sidewalk, what he would be walking towards when the white stick figure on the cross-walk blinked back at him. Kaminari crossed the street in seconds, jogging down the road in his worn out sneakers, arms angled up with each step. The corner in which the shop rested on was plain, walkway clean, bushes aligning with the low hanging windows. Nothing in particular stood out, not the bright red paint nor the cursive 'Welcome' sign on the front door and yet Kaminari's wrist tingled, something about the day seeming to be destined.

A bell rang when Kaminari opened the shop door, a chime to the employees that cheered a greeting at their latest customer. The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans filled the facility in a comforting scene, blooming flowers held in vases on each booth and table. A warmth unlike the muggy weather outside surrounded Kaminari and all other patrons who wore smiling faces, conversing as if there was not a care in the world. Somehow Kaminari's shoulders slacken, his chest feeling lighter, the fight he had with Bakugou washing away.

His wrist still tingled, soft and reoccurring, a thing that's never happened before but Kaminari didn't want it to stop. His eyes traced along the decorations of the shop, the red lining, large overhanging menu, another portrait of the orange jumpsuit man. The counter hovered over a glass case filled with cake pops, croissant rolls, Greek yogurts, donuts, brownies and other sweets just as the café title suggested. Behind the counter were three rowdy men, all wide grinned, dressed in aprons and rolled up sleeves and similar in age to Kaminari.

He was drawn in by their ecstatic personalities, how they looked to work so well together, joking with one another and laughing. The silvered man nudged his elbow against the red heads side, both with sharp teeth and ridiculous hair that stuck out in all angles. The taller of the three had slick black hair nearly touching his shoulders, lengthy arms that reached out for the foam cups on the shelves. Kaminari hadn't an idea what it was the three were gossiping about but a tug of his heart and glimpse of yellow brows and chiseled chin called him to come closer.

The same man Kaminari was eyeing, turned at a tap to the counter, meeting Kaminari with a grand smile that had his neck stretching and adams apple show. Kaminari gulped, his heart stuttering, stomach queasy with an incomprehensible admiration for someone he had only just met. From here, Kaminari felt small, insecure and unsure of himself. This wasn't his normal coffee shop, no, but Kaminari never hesitated to try new places. He wasn't sure what it was, why he was suddenly so quiet and shy, why the man's company affected him the way he did.

"Good morning! My name's Tetsu, how may I help you?"

Kaminari flinched, his eyes widening like a deer stuck in the headlights, his resolve fell like a façade, composure gone before he even opened his mouth. He was at the front of the line though, an order he had to place and what was it Bakugou asked for again? Tetsu tilted his head, was about to speak again when the red head snagged his attention, his hand on Tetsu's shoulder as he asked about the shops next delivery. Kaminari read the name tag on his apron too, Kirishima, who now had Tetsu's eyes all on him. Something sparked in Kaminari, an urge to make him go away and the words fumbled out, vowels mixed with constantans that fell from his lips rapidly.

"I want a large double shot espresso, chocolate chip frappuccino with extra whip cream and a toffee cupcake!"

Kirishima blinked down at Kaminari, confused by his sudden assertiveness and octave of voice. He was much louder than he needed to be, talking at the wrong time and interrupting a semi-important conversation. As Fatgum always said though, the customer always comes first and Tetsu couldn't help but laugh, waving Kirishima off for later. Kaminari felt beyond embarrassed, his own actions unbeknownst to him and a bit out of character. If this was a crush, he'd be more suave, wouldn't he? Kaminari would flirt up a storm, chuck out a silly pun and maybe ask for a date if the sweet talking was working. Tetsu was different though, as if there was a binding between them that Kaminari couldn't pull away from.

"Ah ha! There you are! I was worried for a minute, never had a customer go mute on me before. If it's social anxiety, I get it but you don't have to worry with me okay?"

Tetsu pulled out a pen from the collar of his apron, his hand stuffed into the pocket as if he were searching for something. That hand stayed there for a while too long, Tetsu's tongue sticking out in concentration, brows furrowed as kept looking. It reminded Kaminari of the morning, how he had misplaced his keys and couldn't find them. He wondered if this was the same for Tetsu, if he had thought something was in his pocket but it wasn't. The answer came soon, Tetsu grunting whilst he took his arm back out.

"I must have left my note pad in the back. What did you say you wanted?"

"Oh um, one large double shot espresso-"

As Kaminari repeated his order Tetsu listed the items one by one on his wrist, shortened due to little space. He would mumble out for memory, short gurgled noise echoing as Kaminari spoke. Kaminari felt a subtle ache in his own wrist, as if a pointed object was protruding his skin but not quite piercing it. It was dull, more an annoyance than any sort of pain but the way it seemed to sketch out shapes on Kaminari's skin made him question.

With hesitancy, unsure of the outcome, Kaminari turned over his arm, Tetsu's own audible musings stopped by what appeared on the formers wrist. Identical to the handwriting on Tetsu's arm was the order Kaminari had just made in blue ink like the pen Tetsu used. In all his twenty years of being alive, Kaminari had never seen such an occurrence, at least not on himself. In his school days, sure, he would see his friends showing off the doodles their soulmates drew that appeared on their skin. Most people at one point or another had unexplainable marks drawn onto their skin, the knowledge that they had a soulmate.

Kaminari's never had the same occurrence happen to him… not until now.


End file.
